Finisher for shirt sleeves



Aug. 10, 1954 w. c. GLOVER, JR

FINISHER FOR SHIRT SLEEVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 2, 1952 INVENTOR.

g- 1954 w. c. GLOVER, JR

FINISHER FOR SHIRT SLEEVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2, 1952 INVENTOR. /4 ////d/77 6. /oye/g (/1: BY

flTTO/P/V patentecl Aug. 10, 195 4 FINISHER FOR SHIRT SLEEVES William C. Glover, .l'r., Wildwood Lakes, Lees Summit, Mo., assignor to Bill Glover, Incorporated, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 2, 1952, Serial No. 264,412

Claims. 1

This invention relates to equipment for finishing articles of clothing, particularly the sleeves of shirts, the primary object being to provide a sleever including a pair of elongated members each adapted to receive the shirt sleeve and each having a pair of relatively shiftable sections movable toward and away from each other whereby to hold the sleeve in a taut condition as hot air and/or steam is directed thereinto.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide a sleever that includes a pair of elongated, transversely arcuate, foraminous members, one of which is rigidly mounted and the other being attached solely to a swingable arm and for free swinging movement relative to the arm, all to the end that as the movable member is actuated, it will conform to the sleeve and hold the same stretched taut between the two members.

Another object hereof is to provide a sleever wherein the shiftable member aforesaid is not only pivotally connected to the swingable actuating arm therefor, but is yieldably held biased toward the stationary member by a spring interconnecting the two cooperating members.

Another object hereof is to provide means for actuating the swingable arm, together with a spring between such means and the arm whereby to yieldably hold the arms biased apart during the finishing operation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a sleeve-holding means on the stationary member that includes a clamp swingable to and from a position holding the sleeve against the stationary member at the cuff.

Other objects include details of construction, all of which will be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a finisher for shirt sleeves made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, cross-sectional view through one of the. sleevereceiving assemblies.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, transverse, cross-sectional view taken on irregular line III-III of Fig. 5 (sheet 2).

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectionalview showing-one of the foot operated pedals in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view showing the sleeve-receiving assemblies in an operating position, one of the assemblies being in section to reveal details of construction; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on irregular line VIVI of Fig. 5.

Shirt finishing machines adapted to hold the shirt in a ballooned condition for receiving steam and hot air, are not particularly capable of satisfactorily finishing the sleeves of a shirt. Accordingly, through employment of the finisher about to be described, it is possible to simultaneously finish both sleeves of a shirt, leaving little additional work except perhaps pressing the cuffs of the garment and touching up the collar and front of the shirt.

Such finisher includes a pair of identical sleevereceiving assemblies broadly designated by the numerals l0 and I2. These assemblies I0 and I2 are supported by a common table or platform M, and since they are identical, only one will be described.

Each assembly :c |2 includes a pair of elongated members It and I8, both of which are arcuate in cross-section as illustrated in Fig. 3 and both being perforated, preferably throughout substantially the entire length thereof. As shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6, it is to be preferred that members It and it be imperforate adjacent the lower ends thereof to confine the steam or hot air to the sleeves themselves. To this end the assemblies iii and I2 are jacketed adjacent the lowermost ends thereof by a circumscribing, preferably fabric cover 20 that may be suitably attached to the members l6 and I8, as well as'to the table top' [4 if desired.

The member H3 is provided with an out-turned flange 22 resting directly upon the table top l4 to which it is rigidly afii-xed. Members l6 and I8 register with an opening 24 in table top H. The 'member E8 is secured to the table l4 solely by means of a bracket 26 on its innermost face and intermediate the ends thereof, which bracket 26 is in turn pivotally joined as at 28 to the uppermost end of an elongated, substantially vertical arm 30, disposed between themembers I6 and it. The arm 30 is in turn pivotally secured to a T-shaped support 32, having a pair of upstanding ears 36. The support 32 is joined to they table top Hi directly above the opening 24 and,

the lowermost end of arm 30 between the ears 34 is pivotally attached to the latter as at 36. A pair of ears 38 rigid to the arm 39, directly above the pivot pin 36, extend toward the stationary member l6 and receive a short link it therebetween, link it being in turn pivotally connected to the ears 33 by a pin 42.

A lateral extension 44, rigid to the arm 30 between ears 38 and pivot point 28, likewise ex- 3 tends toward the stationary member l5 above the link 40 and receives one end of a coil spring 46, the opposite end of spring 46 being carried by the link 40.

An L-shaped crank 48 journaled in the stationary member 86 in the manner shown by Fig. 6 of the drawings, has a small cam 56 rigid thereto within the confines of the transversely arcuate, stationary member 16, and disposed directly below the spring 46 in engagement with the lowermost edge of the link 40.

The table or platform It is provided with a suitable support 52 that carries a foot lever 54 for swinging movement on a pivot pin 56, it being understood that there is a lever 54 for each assembly l0 and i2 respectively. An elongated rod 58 pivotally connected to the lever 54 at the lowermost end of rod 58, extends upwardly through the opening 25 between the members l6 and I8, and terminates at its uppermost end adjacent, but below end walls 8t and 62 for members I6 and 18 respectively.

A spherical element 64 on the wall 59, facilitates threading of sleeve 56 on the assemblies Hi and 12. A T-shaped element 58 pivotally carried by the stationary member IS, pivotally receives the uppermost end of the rod 58 and also pivotally receives a short rod 10 having an arcuate clamp 12 on the outermost end thereof. Member I6 is provided with a clearance opening "14 for the short rod 10. A spring 16 interconnecting the rod 58 and the support 52, yieldably holds the rod 58 biased toward the lowermost end of its path of travel.

A coil spring 78 immediately above the bracket 26 yieldably holds the member i8 biased toward the stationary member 16.

Any suitable means may be provided for directing steam and/or hot air through the openings 24 and thence into the assemblies i9 and i2. In the instance illustrated, support 52 carries a blower 80 and a suitable prime mover such as an electric motor 82 for driving blower 80. The outlet end of the blower 8B communicates with both of the openings 24 and a suitable conduit 84 connects the inlet end of the blower 80 with a suitable source of steam or hot air not shown.

Prior to placing the finisher into use, the assemblies I0 and I2 are in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, with the members l8 swung toward the stationary member IE3 and held biased in such position by the springs 18. Consequently, the assemblies l0 and i2 are in a position for receiving the sleeves 86 of the shirt to be finished. It is a simple matter to thread both of the sleeves 66 over the two assemblies l0 and 12 with the cuffs adjacent the uppermost ends of the assemblies [0 and I2.

Shirt sleeves are commonly provided with a slitted opening adjacent the ends and when unbuttoned, may be received by the clamp 72. The operator merely depresses the levers 5G as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, which in turn shift the rod 58 upwardly against the action of spring 16. The elements 68 are swung from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position illustrated by Fig. 5 of the drawings, thereby moving the clamps '12 away from the outer faces of corresponding members It. While the sleeve is held against the stationary member l6 by the operator, lever 54 is released and, through the action of spring 16, clamp i 2 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, holding the sleeve tightly in place adjacent the cult.

Except for the two sleeves 68 of the shirt,

4 table l4 serves as a support for the front and back panels of the shirt not intended to be finished by the machine hereof. After releasing the two levers 54, the operator actuates the two cranks 48 to swing the members It away from the stationary members [6 and against the action of springs 18. It is seen that when the cranks 68 are swung apart from the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, cams 58 will in turn be swung upwardly from the position illustrated by Fig. 2, to the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Cams 50 act upon the links 40 and through springs 46 and extensions 44 cause the arms 39 to swing outwardly away from the stationary member [6 on pivot pins 35. Members [8 being freely swingable on the arms 30, cause the assemblies Ill and [2 to assume the contour and size of the sleeves 66 and a yieldable bias is placed on the sleeves 66 to hold the same transversely taut because of the action of springs 46.

With the sleeves 66 held in such position by the assemblies 10 and I2, steam or hot air may be directed to the sleeves 66 by operation of prime mover 82 and blower 80, such fluid passing through the fabric material from which the sleeves 6B are made, with force because of the foraminous nature of members l6 and i8. Upon release of the members l8 by means of cranks 48, springs 18 pull the members l8 toward the members [6 and thereupon the operator actuates the levers 54 to release clamps l2, whereupon the shirt may be easily slipped from the assemblies ill and I2.

Certain details of construction necessarily ineluded and described in connection with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, may be varied and it is therefore, desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a finisher for shirt sleeves, a pair of elongated members adapted to receive a sleeve to be finished; means rigidly mounting one of said members; an arm mounted between the members for swinging movement toward and away from said one member; means pivotally attaching the other of said members to the arm; manually shiftable structure; and means interposed between the arm and said structure for swinging the arm away from the one member upon shifting of said structure in one direction, said means being resilient whereby to place a yieldable bias on a sleeve threaded upon the members when the structure is shifted in said one direction.

2. In a finisher for shirt sleeves, a pair of elongated members adapted to receive a sleeve to be finished; means rigidly mounting one of said members; an arm mounted between the members for swinging movement toward and away from said one member; means pivotally attaching the other of said members to the arm; shiftable structure; means interposed between the arm and. said structure for swinging the arm away from the one member upon shifting of said structure in one direction, said means being resilient whereby to place a yieldable bias on a sleeve threaded upon the members when the structure is shifted in said one direction; and yieldable means interconnecting the members.

3. In a finisher for shirt sleeves, a pair of elongated members adapted to receive a sleeve to be finished; means rigidly mounting one of said members; an arm mounted between the members for swinging movement toward and away from said one member; means pivotally attaching the other of said members to the arm; a swingable element on the arm; shiftable structure engaging said element for swinging the arm away from the one member; and yieldable means interposed between the arm and said element.

4. In a finisher for shirt sleeves, a pair of elongated members adapted to receive a sleeve to be finished; means rigidly mounting one of said members; an arm mounted between the members for swinging movement toward and away from said one member; means pivotally attaching the other of said members to the arm; a swingable element on the arm; shiftable structure engaging said element for swinging the arm away from the one member; yieldable means interposed between the arm and said element; and yieldable means interconnecting the members.

5. In a finisher for shirt sleeves, a pair of elongated, foraminous members adapted to receive a sleeve to be finished, each member being arcuate in cross-section; means rigidly mounting one of said members at one end thereof; an elongated arm between the members and pivotally mounted at one end thereof adjacent said one end of said one member for swinging movement toward and away from the one member; means pivotaliy attaching the other member intermediate the ends thereof to said arm at the opposite end of the latter; yieldable means between the arm and the opposite end of said one member interconnecting the members; and rotatable means for swinging the arm and the other member away from the one member against the action of said yieldable means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,937,656 Leef et a1. Dec. 5, 1933 2,285,990 Leef June 9, 1942 2,495,281 Pearson Jan. 24, 1950 2,531,599 Bader et a1 Nov. 28, 1950 

